We do a lot of loft surveys each year and the majority are for new storage boarding,
but we also get a lot of home owners who have had loft boarding done in the
past and after reading our website they become concerned that their loft
boarding has not been done correctly!

Unfortunately there are lots of cowboys and generally
people setting up as a loft boarding company who really have no clue and no skills in the
building industry. These people give everyone a bad reputation because they are making a complete mess of people loft spaces
and homes.

Incorrectly boarding a loft can be dangerous and can also cause issues in the not
to distant future like structural defects, condensation and damp issues.

Like every aspect of the building trade there are rules that apply.
Building regulations were introduced to set out a standard set of rules in
all aspects of the building industry for all to work
by. But as we all know, some choose to ignore them completely and that's when
you end up with bad quality work and jobs like the ones we have taken photos of below.

The majority of loft boarding companies, the professional ones will know
the rules that apply and work to building regulations. Simple things apply
like loft floor strengthening, supporting sub-frames, extra supporting hangers
for the ceiling joists,
not cutting through structural timbers and not removing or squashing
insulation. Building a raised supporting sub-frame for the storage floor to be built on
is very important. This raised floor can create a void for insulation,
electrical cables, lighting spots, plumbing pipe work and ventilation pipes,
solar panel cables, networking cables and so on so nothing will be trapped or
squashed and air can continue to circulate around you loft as its meant to
do.

Here are some of the photos of bad loft boarding we have come across or
been asked to make a report on for Trading Standards or Insurance claims

Warning: Before letting anyone in your home to do work make sure they are
registered with a local authority scheme like Safe Trader run by Trading
Standards or Guild of Master Craftsmen's or similar. Be aware these
"recommend a builder" or "rated traders" websites can sometimes have fake feedback so get some real
references and contact numbers from their previous customers just to be sure.
Never give a deposit or any money up front for any reason as there are
fraudsters working in the Northwest and around the UK so be on full alert with
tradesmen. Ask for ID and only accept a written quote on letter headed
paper.